Better Than Expected
by Pennies.in.a.jar
Summary: A new job. A new boss. Ava Stonem and Christian Grey meet, and boy, do they work exceptionally well together.
1. Chapter 1

Ava Stonem was your fairly average, all American, female. Smart girl but never found anything that could fully clasp into her attention. She was an average A student in high school, excelled in a local college in the state of Washington, dated but never loved, and felt that her life needed a good old fashioned _change. _

Today was my first day at my new job. Great. Sure, I needed work, but this wasn't what I needed to be doing. I guess editing articles at some publishing place would work just fine for now. I am good with writing, I'm good with correcting mistakes. I can do this. I can get by these next...however many months until I find something that I _want_ to be doing. Something that in excited to wake up for. But for now, I'm making coffee in my small studio apartment and listening to my iPod throughout my surround sound. This morning started out like any other. Awoke. Rolled out of bed. Went for a morning run in the chilly Seattle air. Showered. Brewed some coffee while I got ready. And now I'm running out the door with my thermal. Don't want to be late for my first day at a new job! May not be my passion, but I'm still going to attempt to make a good impression.

"Oh, hello Ava!" I hear while speed walking to the elevator.

"Good morning!" Without even a glance behind me.

Sure, I am friendly with my neighbors but right now I don't have time. I cannot recognize your voice so you'll have to wait until later to make small talk. Sorry.

I climb into my small 2001 Ford Focus, plug my iPod in, and have background music to my drive to work. Not too far, only about 10 blocks. At least we have designated parking spaces so I'm not driving around aimlessly praying for one to open up.

Walking through the lobby, stride in check, skirt covering my arse, I'm ready for work. I'm ready to impress. And I even might be ready to see if I have any attractive coworkers to help me through my days here. Floor 28 in this obscenely modernized building, is where I'm headed. Upon arrival I'm greeted by many and placed in my new cubical to begin small tasks to get into my daily schedule and ease into this kind of work.

It's 11:30 when I glance at the clock on my laptop. _Well__. _Where did the time go? I gather my bag and keys and start to casually walk through the cubicals to reach the elevator. One moment I'm standing vertical, and the next, I'm crumbled on the floor, ass up. _Shit. _

"Holy fucking hell! I am so sorry! I should clean this place up a bit!" A man calls out while trying to leave his personal cubical. He seems sincere, and I'm not upset, just a tad embarrassed. It seems his briefcase bag was sticking out of his cubical entrance. Well, hell.

"It's alright, really." There's a small smile playing on his lips, and I know he's trying not to laugh. I start cracking up right then and there on the floor. Suddenly there are hands on me and he's helping me up.

"Well, alright. If you say so. Let me buy you lunch at least. My names Kal."

"Ok Kal. I'm new here and don't have many friends, so yes. You may buy me lunch. Name's Ava. Nice to meet you."

After I dusted myself up, wewent to a small cafe down the street. And ended up having a good, casual lunch. I had a feeling we will get along just fine. Maybe working here wouldn't be such a drag. Kal had worked for the company for two years and said it's fairly calm. Kal was engaged and deeply in love with a lucky girl named Samantha. I'm glad he's happy, but he can't seem to stay off the topic of his love life. Oh well, if you're in love..well I guess you're in love.

We were just getting into the elevator at the office and pressing the button labeled, "28" when a man came jogging into the elevator. _Holy fuck. _Was all I was thinking while observing this elegant, godly man. All I could see was the side of him and good god, what a portfolio he had. Chiseled jaw, almost black messy locks of hair that hung over his forehead, fit build, and long dark lashes.

Kal bumped into my side to get my attention.

"You've got a little bit of drool on the corner of your mouth."

I giggled and playfully punched his shoulder. _Oh. _The mystery man stole a glance at me and I straightened up real fast. His eyes! Cobalt blue and crystal. Oceans. Oceans could be seen through his eyes. _Who are you?! _Our gazes caught ahold of one another andthe elevator was silent. All except my breath being unleashed after not knowing I was holding it. Oh. Shit.

A playful smile played on the mystery mans lips. Mocking, almost. _Did he notice me staring? _Well shucks. Almost as soon as his eyes left mine, my cheeks were the color of a tomatoe. The doors opened and he casually strolled through them. We're all going to the same place, I see. Trying not to stumble in Kal's shit as I walked past his cubical, I lost sight of the god. Back to work I suppose.

At 2 o'clock I was called into a "plan for success at this company" meeting. After hanging up the line I gathered myself and proceeded to the conference room. As soon as I knocked and was confirmed entrance I saw that the god was sitting at the end of the table. Well well well.

"Ava! Welcome! Come, sit." Mr. Jensen, the manager of my department, said.

"I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Christian Grey, the CEO of Grey Enterprises." He pointed out the godly man in the room and I instantly flushed. _Well hello! _Game on. Time to make a good impression.

"Sir." I smiled and shook his masculine hand. Ugh, how I'd thoroughly enjoy these hands other places.

Mr. Jensen proceeded to discuss my future with Grey Enterprises, but I wasn't paying attention to him. I couldn't stop stealing glances at Mr. Grey. _Oops. _He caught me. Uh oh.

After being dismissed from the conference room and the war raging with my bladder, I made my way to the little girls room. Shit! It was occupied. Waited. Waited. Waited. Nearly 10 minutes later I got fed up. Screw it. I'm using the men's room.

After taking care of my bladder issue and washing my hands I proceeded out the door, casual enough to not draw attention. Slamming into a body on my way out was not planned, of course. I need to clean my act up today.

"Ms. Stonem. Wasn't expecting to find you coming out of there." _Oh. Fuck. It's him. _I glance up and meet his eyes automatically. Regretful because I can't look away. I have no words.

"Uh. Um. Yeah. I really had to go..." _What the fuck was that Ava!? Way to go! _

A chuckle. I heard a chuckle.

"Well, okay then. Seems reasonable." He blatantly replied. I hadn't moved from the door frame and he hasn't made any efforts to let me around him. This is awkward.

"If you'll excuse me, I must get back to work." I tried to give him the hint. I think he enjoys seeing me squirm. Hm.

"Not quiet yet." I heard his reply, but didn't have the chance to say anything before I was being pushed back into the bathroom, by Mr. Grey. _Okay._

The door was locked.

He looked at me as though I was his pray.

Should I move?

Should I leave?

Do I want to?

Without an answer to any of my internal struggles, my lips were attacked by his rough mouth and my legs were locking around his waist.

"Oh!" I managed to gasp out.


	2. Chapter 2

Holy fuck. What was going on? I suppose I've never been too conservative, but I've also never been in this situation, either. What am I doing? I'm giving him the go-ahead to do as he pleases with me! This _stranger!_

"WOW! OK, stop!" I screamed in a whisper. I had untied my feet from each other, and from around his waist, but he didn't seem to mind, or notice. He persistently began to attack my neck with feverish kisses.

"STOP!" I yelled. That caught his attention. He tensed up, opened his eyes and stared straight into mine. With such a close proximity I'm surprised I didn't faint from the intense gaze he bore upon me. Was he angry? With me? No. No, he's angry at…himself? He dropped me onto the counter in the restroom, turned around and headed for the door. Leaving me sitting there, a pile of mush, wondering what the hell just happened?

"Forget about this." He called to me just as he was unlocking the door and leaving me.

_Forget about this? How am I supposed to manage that?!_

After about five minutes of me straightening my clothing, running cold water over my face and fixing my makeup up, I was ready to finally head back to my cubical. I made my way out of the bathroom, through the aisles of cubicles, and back to my very own, without catching any unwanted attention.

Kal popped his head in just as I was finishing a revise on an article.

"Hey, you heading out soon?"

"Yeah I should get going." It was already 4 o'clock. Well, that was an eventful first day. Better than expected…but worse at the same time. I was exhausted. What I needed was a nice cup of hot cocoa and a romantic comedy. Or maybe just a head start on a, hopefully, fantastic night of sleep.

Once in the elevator I felt safe. No one could magically appear. The doors couldn't be stopped by a jogging man trying to get in them.

Lobby. The doors opened and there he was. _Him._ I suppose I can put a name to his face now. Mr. Grey. Mr. Christian Grey. Just as I tried to nonchalantly walk past him, our shoulders bumped and he averted his gaze from his newspaper. Just noticing I was there. Standing next to him. Half way into **another** closed off, small space. But he didn't push me back into the elevator. He didn't do anything. It's almost as if he took his very own advice and forgot about the situation. How was it so easy for him? Here I am, a confident girl who was in tact with her own sexuality, and I was a quivering mess just being in his presence. So much for that good impression I was hoping to make on him.

With a slight nod and a small, fake smile on his face, he entered the elevator and I exited. Just like that. Expect I was staring at him, awe struck the entire time until the doors closed and I was snapped out of the tiny world I had built for him and I.

The night went as expected. The cocoa, the movie, the sleep. I awoke and began my morning routine yet again and couldn't help but think of how boring my life had gotten...had been, has always been. Single. Live alone. Only "friend" I really enjoy having I met yesterday. Boring job. But then I also think, 'hey, what if I change a little bit. What if I switch the game up and make this year exciting.' 2012 is ending fairly soon and I want to end it with a boom. Maybe I'll try to come out of this shell that Mr. Grey has magically placed me in, and explore this opportunity. It's not like I _needed_ this job or very much wanted it, so if it ended badly I could move on. I wasn't rooted here. I wasn't rooted anywhere. Seattle was just my place of residence. I didn't mind it, but I didn't love it.

I was already to my cubical after being set on automatic mode from my apartment to my office. Too much thinking. I already had a small headache. A couple stacks of work were left on it from Mr. Jensen. I began to work.

I got a call about 10 AM.

"Ms. Stonem, please report to Mr. Grey's office ASAP."

"Um…alright, where's that?"

"32 floor." And with that the line went dead.

_Ok. I can do this. What does he need? What does he want? What does he want with __**me**__? _

I made my way to the elevators, making sure that Kal got a 'good morning' wave on the way.

Pushing the button labeled 32, I began my voyage into unknown territory. Ok Ava, remember what we talked about. You remember, on the way to work? _Oh, right._ Trying new things. Being different. Exploring Christian Grey. I can do this.

The receptionist was nicer than expected. A tan, blonde, petit lady in her mid-thirties. She directed me to Mr. Grey's office and assisted me in as though I couldn't open a door. After waving her off with a small smile, I couldn't bring myself to turn around and face him. Instead, I was facing the closed door. Awkward. I need to turn around. Turn around, _TURN AROUND!_

"Ahem." _Oh fuck. _He probably thinks I'm nuts. I slowly turn around and face him. Casting my eyes down. I know I'll drown in them if I let myself.

"Ms. Stonem, thank you for joining me." He seems amused. That's a good sign…right?

"Not a problem at all, how can I assist you?" I twirled my dark golden locks in my right hand. A nervous habit I've had as a kid.

"Well, we need to discuss your work ethic." _Wait, what?!_ Is he going to play this off that _I _came onto _him?_ He's the one that pushed me into the bathroom! He's the one that attacked my mouth! Of course, I didn't stop him…nor protest at first. But still!

"Um….what about it?" I stood, twirling my hair and placing one of my 4" heeled shoes on the other.

"What happened…" He began to say.

"No, stop right there. I will not discuss what happened in the restroom. But for the record, you came onto me. I was simply in it for the ride." I began to rant, seemingly getting more annoyed by the second. He looked confused. Taken aback, but confused. What, don't people speak their mind around him? How can you trust anybody if all they do is say what you want to hear?

"Ms. Stonem…I'm glad you enjoyed my severe example of spontaneous sexual advancement towards you, but that cannot happen again and I do apologize for what I initiated." He stated, matter-of-factly. Ok. Well. He's not blaming me. But he also said it can't happen again. What the hell. I want it to happen again. Why can't it happen again? But of course, I couldn't _say_ this to him. That would be totally _inappropriate._

"Ok. Whatever you say." I managed to get out. It sounded a lot more snobby than intended. I guess it's the disappointment seeping through my words. He catches it, smirks, and begins his way from out of his chair, to where I'm standing next to the door. _Oh. Oh. Oh!_ He stops in front of me, places his fingers delicately on my jaw bone, and slowly descends down to my throat and clasps, lightly, around my neck. Well this is new. I've never had someone…put their hand around my neck. I would imagine I should feel threatened, but instead I started to feet a burning fire beginning in my gut. Such a possessive pose.

"Ava. Ms. Stonem. Ava Stonem. I do not like your tone of voice. Your attitude needs an adjustment."


End file.
